AN: Sorry for taking longer to update this time. I had half of it done a week back, but wasn't quite happy with it.

Disclaimer: Stephenie owns everything.

We came to the end of October, and the Halloween night brought an even colder weather to Forks. A few days ago the road was icy. It reminded me to that day when that cursed Tyler's van almost crushed me to death. I wouldn't be here today if Edward didn't decide to save me, against his crude instincts. I tried to savor little things like that to remind me of his love. The task that I found sometime challenging with Mike, Eric and Tyler constantly hovering over me, trying to fill Edward's absence. It was suddenly a 'who can date Bella' competition between them. If I said no to one, the other two would appear smug, and the cycle was endless. Mike had a slight advantage since I worked at his store. He just wouldn't stop bugging me at work. The three of them put together was enough to suffocate me to the point that I almost decided to take a break from school altogether. In fact, I almost decided on doing so, several times. Jacob didn't help the matter. He was just as eager as I was to go on this oncoming trip. Every time I said "Why don't we just quit school for a while and go already?", he'd say "Hell yeah, Bella, best idea ever. When do we leave?". Then I'd feel guilty, because finding Edward was my mission, and shouldn't affect his studies, so I told him it's not a good idea to just pack up and leave, and I would just train myself to focus on Thanksgiving break, when I could get myself closer to finding Edward.

True to his words, Jacob had found details on Edward's Vanquish. It was in fact registered under his name, with a New York address too. I felt like I had found another piece of the puzzle. I was hoping that for all practical purposes, the family had this one or maybe more fixed address to register their properties and belongings, including Edward's Vanquish. It was tedious enough to keep changing their driver's licenses, passports, and so on, and moving addresses were another nuisance. They regularly moved every five years or so, maybe this was their way to minimise problems such as re-registering number plates. God knows how many cars they had in total!

I had looked over the address countless of times, that I could even recite it perfectly in my dreams. My dreams were all about this mission. A number of times I had Edward just within my reach, with his back facing me, only to evaporate in smoke a moment later before I could alert him to my presence, like some kind of a magic show.

According to Google Map, the address was an apartment building on 5th Avenue, overlooking the Jacqueline Onassis Reservoir near Central Park. There were a few galleries and museum near the area. Obviously a posh location, something a Cullen could easily afford. However, I thought they kept themselves well away from human civilisation, so living in downtown New York was obviously against that principle.

When I told Charlie that I was going for a vacation with Jake to New York, he was more than pleased with the idea. He didn't even question where we were going to stay, or if we were staying in the same room. I couldn't help wondering if he would still the same approving look on his face had it been Edward who was going with me. As a matter of fact, we were going to share a room at Franklin Hotel, three blocks away from the aforementioned address. It was inevitable due to the combination of the peak holiday season and our limited budget. I booked their cheapest room which was also on special rate, but that was all I could afford. I couldn't ask Jake to pay for his own room, so he just had to share a room with me. Charlie didn't question it so I guess that was fine.

I kept thinking about other things I could prepare ourselves before departure. I decided against renting a vehicle, since it would be obnoxiously expensive, and surely we could rent there on the spot if necessary. I still needed to have some extra cash handy in case of, well, anything really. I had even told Jake to get himself a passport, just in case we needed it. I asked him if he had any friend or relative in New York area, since I had none, to which he said his community was pretty much restricted to La Push area. His sisters were no help either being located in Washington State and Hawaii.

The Cullen's Forks address was certainly still valid, since I could still receive the confirmation letter I sent via the travel agent. That was good to know, at least the address was still functional and the house was still theirs, maybe for an eternity.

As I stocked the last mosquito repellant spray on the shelf, I saw that constant-hovering shadow behind me. Not mine, but Mike's.

"Hey Bella, is that the last one today?"

If he had been observing me like he had been since I walked in that front door, he would have known the answer was a yes. I replied regardless with a weak smile.

"Yes, it was." Then I tried yet again to evade the scene and walked towards the cashier to busy myself there.

"It has been very slow today, why don't we finish off early so we can get ready to go to that Jessica's party tonight?"

What Jessica's party? Oh, you mean the Halloween party she's organising at her house which she thinks I know nothing about?

"No, Mike. Obviously I'm not invited."

Since Edward left, Jessica had been blatantly ignoring me and excluding me in all social gathering. Not that I was ever interested in them, anyway. What I didn't like was all the rumors she spread. Edward broke up with Bella and on holiday in Hawaii. She was the reason that we broke up. Edward went away to give us some 'space'. Edward phone-sexed her every night. I was never good enough for Edward. Well that one was true, at least.

The only friends in school who had stuck by me was the three musketeers – Mike, Tyler and Eric, and Angela.

"Come on, Bella. She can't say anything if you come with me. I'd really love it if you can come with me."

"Tempting, but no." Not ever. "I have other plan, unfortunately." Actually I did, Jake said he'd come for dinner. It was the least I could do. He and Charlie had been doing shifts in chauffeuring me every where since my truck was apparently still a dead-o at Jacob's.

Fortunately for me, around that time, the two customers that had been standing and debating among themselves around the tent area approached us with their purchases.

"In any case," the taller one said to the other, "we should delay our future camping around here until we can confirm that there was indeed no black bear. The weather isn't much help either."

"Bears, you said?" Mike asked, getting attention from both the patrons. "There are no bears around here."

"I know a bear when I see one…" mumbled the taller one.

I scanned their purchases and put them in a big plastic bag. As I watched them leaving, I saw Jacob's car parked in front of the store.

"Mike, are you sure about finishing off early?" I asked.

"Sure. I…"

"I'll see you tomorrow, then! Have fun at the party!" With that, I ran towards the door. It was drizzling and Jake had not even stopped the engine when I opened his passenger's door.

Jacob chuckled. "Eager, are we?"

"From escaping Mike the peeve? Always. Quick!" I motioned him to go. "Before he could chase us."

"Where do you want to go?" Jacob asked.

"Home, away from here, away from Jessica's party, anywhere."

"Jessica's party?'

"Yeah. A Halloween costume party. I'm not invited so don't even bother asking."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because apparently she's now Edward's girl and she's the reason why we broke up."

"Huh? Say what?"

"I know. Ugh!" I threw my punch to the air. "I wish Edward's here to defend himself from these high school gossips!" At least I could make fun of him being so irritated with Jessica.

"Did she say he's going to be there?"

"Who? There where?"

"Edward. At her party."

"Why would he?" I asked incredulously.

"You said he's her new boyfriend, right? Shouldn't he come to his girlfriend's party?" He gave me this dubious look. He believed her?

"Come on Jake. I know you know she knows nothing about him."

"You're prepared to go as far as bloody New York but don't want to go to her party to check it out?"

"There's absolutely no way – "

"You don't know that."

"Of course I do."

We stopped talking for a while. Jacob was just being silly. But to think that Edward would be at Jessica's party was both invigorating and depressing. Invigorating because suddenly there was a minute possibility that he's so near. Depressing because that minute, infinitesimal possibility was unquestionably non-existent. The realisation frustrated me even more. I wished he was there, but he wasn't. I could even trade him being an item with Jessica if I could have him that near.

"You know I'm joking, right?" Jake broke the silence. We had reached my house and the engine had been off. I didn't know how long it had been, but the car windows were foggy.

When he didn't hear my reply, he asked, "Are you upset that you're not invited?"

"No. I actually prefer her distancing herself from me. I just loathe the malicious rumors she's spreading about."

"At least you still have Angela." He pointed out.

True. Before I had time to respond, he added, "I don't even know my best friend anymore."

"Who? Me?" What is he saying?

"Not you. Sorry. I meant best guy friend. Emphasis on guy. You are my best friend. I meant Embry."

"What's up with him?" That's odd, he usually couldn't stop talking about Embry and Quil and their newest projects.

"He's just… well, unreachable for most part, and when he is around, he… I think he avoids me. Quil knows nothing about him either. It's just… strange."

Apparently I wasn't the only one losing a friend. Was this a trend or something? "Maybe he's just sorting out his own problem, Jake. He'll come around."

"I'm sure he's avoiding us, Bells. I just knew it. He's bonding a lot with Sam now. The La Push gang, remember?"

"Why is that such a bad thing? Maybe…" I ran out of excuses for someone I barely knew.

"He didn't like him, Bells, just like I do. I lose him. I lose him to Sam. I just don't know him anymore, he's so distant and different, like he doesn't want to have anything to do with me." His eyes were suddenly filled with concerns.

"I don't think it's something you did, Jake." I rubbed the back of his hand which was resting on the gear stick.

"Yeah, but what if… what if I become their next recruit, another member to the gang? I don't like them, Bella."

"Then you won't. No one is forcing you to, okay? You will become no one else but yourself. You're my friend and I like you this way. Who cares about being in a gang?"

He closed his eyes and I could still see the tensions beneath his eyelids, but when he opened his eyes a few seconds later, he revealed nothing but appreciation and relief.

"Thanks, Bells. I'll always be your friend, too. Who cares about a stupid costume party?"

AN: I know this is New Moon AU, but I don't want it to stray far from it. In the sense, most things that happened in New Moon would still happen, it's just happened in different time frame, etc. I don't want to go against 'fate'. :D

Next update: New York! I've never been there, seriously. Yeah I like to challenge myself like that. God help me.

More reviews would inspire me to update faster!